Mexican Peso Will Depreciate/Cases of Murdered Journalists
Home > Policy & Economy > Article

Mexican Peso Will Depreciate/Cases of Murdered Journalists

Photo by:   Gobierno de México
Share it!
Paloma Duran By Paloma Duran | Journalist and Industry Analyst - Thu, 02/03/2022 - 11:01

Crime is decreasing  in Hidalgo. Hidalgo Gov. Omar Fayad said that in 2021, 46,464 crimes were reported in the state, which puts Hidalgo in 18th place for crime in the country. Fayad said this figure shows that the government's efforts have made significant progress in reducing crime in the state. “The institutional coordination work has allowed Hidalgo to improve its position in the national ranking. We remain one of the safest states in the center of the country.”

Minister of National Defense Luis Cresencio said that the state has decreased the incidence of various crimes but above all in intentional homicides. In 2021, the state reported just 241 cases, ranking it 24th nationally in the incidence of homicides per 100,000 people. Although homicides decreased in 2021, authorities have reported that in January 2022, there were 35 victims, 17.8 percent more than the figure in January 2021, which was 28 victims.

Depreciation of the Mexican peso. Coordinator of Comprehensive Development Programs Carlos Torres Rosas said that during the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the peso has only depreciated 1.3 percent against the dollar. “There has been a 23 percent increase since this government began. Previously there was a drop but now we can see the rebound. In the exchange rate against the dollar, we closed January with MX$20.64, which represents a depreciation of 1.3 percent.”

According to experts, 2022 opened with high volatility in the financial market, which has affected the performance of various assets, including the Mexican peso. The situation is expected to worsen as geopolitical tensions and movements in US monetary policy generate more volatility. For these reasons, the Mexican currency is expected to lose 4 percent against the dollar in 2022, to MX$21.5 (US$1.04) per dollar.

Advances in the investigation of murdered journalists. Deputy Minister of Security Ricardo Mejía assured that the government has made significant progress in the investigation into the murders of the journalists Margarito Martínez and Lourdes Maldonado in Baja California. Mejía explained that the technical and legal investigations have already been carried out and they are now awaiting the arrest warrants against those responsible. “In the case of Baja California, the president's instruction was followed immediately. A work team was formed in Tijuana, we had a meeting with the state prosecutor's office and we reviewed the cases. There will soon be justice."

Last week, the deaths of Maldonado and Martínez sparked protests across the country, where dozens of journalists and their families demanded justice and better protection for themselves. Given the protests and the controversy surrounding the cases, the government said that it will deliver justice and reinforce the protection mechanisms for journalists. However, NGOs and journalists continue to demand more measures with short-term results.

In 2016, Martínez denounced Head of the Municipal Public Security Minister Alejandro Lares for not letting him do his job and threatening him. In addition, he also reported that he had received threats from people linked to organized crime. Despite seeking help, Martínez was killed outside his home on Jan. 17.

On Jan. 23, Maldonado was shot and killed inside her car in Tijuana. In 2019, Maldonado requested López Obrador's help because she feared for her life. Previously, Maldonado worked for the Primer Sistema de Noticias news outlet, owned by former Baja California Gov. Jaime Bonilla. Maldonado had a labor conflict with Bonilla, in which she accused Bonilla of not paying wages. After nine years of litigation, Maldonado won the dispute. Some have linked her murder to the lawsuit.

AMLO: No impunity in the case of Porfirio Sánchez. López Obrador called on the authorities to act in accordance with the law so that there is no impunity in the case of Minister of Public Security Porfirio Sánchez. In addition, he called on the population not to politicize the case and let the authorities provide justice. “I do not want to add anything, I feel that it is up to the Prosecutor's Office. They are the ones who carry out the investigations with great adherence to the law. Their job is not to invent crimes but to judge those that have been committed so that there is no impunity for anyone. We need citizens to trust the authorities.”

Yesterday, agents from the Mexican Attorney General's Office arrested Sánchez, who is accused of torture, abuse of authority and falsifying judicial statements and reports. According to the authorities, the crimes were carried out when he belonged to the Federal Investigation Agency (AFI) and the federal police while Luis Cárdenas Palomino was director of the Regional Security of the Federal Police.

Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish

Photo by:   Gobierno de México

You May Like

Most popular

Newsletter